Smoked Ham and Cheese Muffins

Smokey and delicious

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I am still in the process of clearing last year’s backlogged posts. It’s going to take a long time but it has to be done in between new postings. Today I want to share my most favourite savoury muffins. If you ever try to make them, please do not use soft old cheddar, like Black Diamond or any other such brands sold in your local store (I have tried it and it was a terrible mess). The best cheese for these muffins is Gruyère. If you know of any other cheese with the same texture as Gruyère and a pleasant taste to your palate, then you can use it. I have also used Balderson extra old Cheddar cheese and it was okay. For the ham choose the one with a nice smoky flavour. Maybe a smoked sausage would do? I haven’t tried it but you can try it and give me a feedback. The other important ingredient is the buttermilk. I have never made them without buttermilk so I can’t help you out if you want to substitute the buttermilk. It gives the muffins a soft, fluffy texture so please do not substitute it.

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These muffins can be snacked on at any time, or you can use them as an accompaniment to soup. They are best eaten warm. You can also pop them into the microwave for 10-15 seconds. I hope you’ll love them. I adore them. I wish you a happy baking and a very pleasant week. We are still braving the cold, so if you live in the tropics, please e-mail me some sunshine.

  • Ingredients
  • 250g (2 cups, 9oz) all-purpose flour
  • 2½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 60g (¼ cup, ½ stick) butter, melted
  • ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 240ml (1 cup, 8.5fl oz) buttermilk
  • 175g (6oz) Gruyere Cheese (I’ve also used Balderson extra old cheddar cheese)
  • 150g (5½oz) smoked ham diced into cubes (1 cup when diced)

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Please always remember to assemble all ingredients before you start.

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Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Brush a medium, 12-hole muffin tin with melted butter, shortening or oil. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) and salt into a bowl

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Make a well in the centre

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In another bowl, whisk together sugar, egg, butter and mustard

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until well blended.

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Whisk in buttermilk.

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Until well blended

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Add the egg and buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture

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and stir until just blended. Do not over mix.

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Gently fold in the cheese and ham.

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Until just mixed.

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Spoon mixture evenly, into prepared muffin tin. Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Stand for 5 minutes, then loosen and transfer the muffins onto a wire rack to cool.

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Serve as a snack or for breakfast or afternoon tea…

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These muffins are my most favourite muffins

Smoked Ham and Cheese Muffins

Preparation time: 10 minutes; Baking time: 25-30 minutes; Makes: 12 muffins

Ingredients 

  • 250g (2 cups, 9oz) all-purpose flour
  • 2½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt 
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 60g (¼ cup, ½ stick) butter, melted
  • ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 240ml (1 cup, 8.5fl oz) buttermilk
  • 175g (6oz) Gruyere Cheese (I’ve also used Balderson extra old cheddar cheese)
  • 150g (5½oz) smoked ham diced into cubes (1 cup when diced)

Ingredients

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) ten minutes before using. Brush a medium, 12-hole muffin tin with melted butter, shortening or oil. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) and salt into a bowl. Make a well in the centre of the flour.
  2. In another bowl, whisk together sugar, egg, butter and mustard until well blended, then whisk in buttermilk..
  3. Add the egg mixture to the well and stir until just blended. Do not over mix. Gently fold in the cheese and ham.
  4. Spoon mixture evenly, into the prepared muffin pan (tin). Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Stand for 5 minutes, then loosen and transfer the muffins onto a wire rack to cool.
  5. For cup measures: spoon the flour into the cup, heaping it up over the top, then slide a knife across the top to level off the extra. Be careful not to shake or tap the cup to settle down the flour or you will have more than you need. I use a 240ml, American cup.

Points to Note:

  • Please note that oven temperatures are given as a guideline only. You may need to add or reduce the suggested temperature depending on your oven. I baked the muffins at 400°F (200°C) for 28 minutes when I used Gruyère cheese, and for 25 minutes when I used Balderson extra old cheddar.
  • Please don’t bake these muffins on convection setting because the direct heat melts the cheese too much. They should be baked using normal bake setting.
  • I prefer to use Gruyère for this recipe. The cheese is hard so it doesn’t melt too much.
  • Last Updated: 30 September, 2018

myfavouritepastime.com

Convection Baking

Tried muffins at 375°F (190°C) on convection setting. Baked in 20 minutes. The cheese over melted because of heat directly hitting them on top. Not recommended on convection setting.

Author: Liz

I love everything food: eating, cooking, baking and travelling. I also love photography and nature.

73 thoughts

  1. Made these for my daughter’s packed lunch and she loved them! Thank you 🙂 Also posted a link on my website for that recipe. I hope it’s Ok?

    Reply

    1. Hi Dee Dee
      Oh I am so glad you made them for your daughters packed lunch. Those muffins are totally delicious. Thank you posting a link too. That is so kind of you. I wish you a very pleasant weekend!
      liz

      Reply

  2. Liz, these are beyond fabulous! I’ve been wanting to make savoury muffins for the longest time. I’m drooling so much over your photos that this is the push I need to finally make them. I need to run out and buy some gruyere immediately!

    Reply

    1. Ha ha you made me laugh. I hope you bought the gruyere made the muffins and enjoyed them. I love these muffins. I’ve made them many times!!! Have a lovely weekend!
      Liz

      Reply

  3. Sometimes you look at a picture and the flavours just hit you all at once. So beautiful! These look gorgous, Liz 🙂

    Reply

    1. Thank you Afra. Hope you are almost hitting spring over there. We are still shovelling snow….Have a great week!
      Liz

      Reply

  7. Another great recipe. I like your recipes of muffins, scones, etc that you add a savory twist to versus the traditional fruit, sweet types that I see all the time.

    Reply

  9. Hi Liz. I mentioned sometime ago how difficult I found it to bake muffins and you directed me to your strawberry muffin recipe. I followed it to the letter and had the same soggy bottom with the fruit also at the bottom. I have a photo of the muffins but don’t know how to send it to you for comments. I am getting so frustrated. I have to believe that it must be the way I mix or my oven. Help:-(

    Reply

    1. Hi Jack
      I am so sorry for taking long to reply, please forgive me.
      1. Please send the photo to myfavouritepastime(at)yahoo(dot)com
      2. Soggy bottom means the muffins did not cook properly so that means either the temperature wasn’t right or the time taken in the oven was too short. Did you use paper cups?
      3. Perhaps you need to add a tablespoon of flour to the fruit first?
      4. Whaf flour are you using? are you weighing ingredients?
      Please send me the photos and have a great week!
      Liz

      Reply

        1. I got your e-mail and photos. Thanks for sending them over. The photo shows the bottom of the muffins are not properly cooked. Does this happen with muffins only or with other cakes too? It looks like the heat coming from the top is more than the heat from the bottom so the tops are cooking faster.Also the mixture shows you’re probably over mixing the muffins…they should normally just be mixed very briefly.
          Maybe you need to cook them longer at a lower temperature? are other cakes cooking just fine and at what temperature? I have never had problems with muffins or any other cake. Please respond!
          Liz

        2. Thanks Liz. I don’t bake that often but I do make great shortbread, so everyone says anyway. These are cooked in the oven at 160C for 30 to 40 mins. I had a go at Jacqui’s Vienese whirls from goodfoodseeking and while they were delicious the bottoms were slightly under cooked. It looks like my oven is a problem and that I over mix. I will have a go at under mixing and cooking a little longer. Thanks again.
          Watch this space.

        3. Hi Jack,
          Please give me the recipe for the great shortbread. I would like to experience what everyone does. I think the heat from the bottom is a problem. You probably need to invest in an oven…my microwave conked out a few months ago and I haven’t bought another one yet. I have just learnt to live without it. I look forward to the recipe. Enjoy your Sunday.
          Liz

        4. Thanks Liz. Will do. I have been told that I must make it for my 3 year old grandson’s birthday party next Sunday so I will post it on my blog. You may be right about the oven. It is a combination microwave that I have had for years and since there are only 2 of us the size is ideal. Mainly used in bake or convection mode! You have made me think. Maybe I should try one of my other conventional ovens. I have a built in oven with a standard size oven and a smaller one underneath mainly used for grilling. The main one is used as an expensive cupboard to store baking trays and racks etc. Too big for us to use for cooking!

        5. HI Jack
          I wish your grandson a happy birthday. I hope he enjoys the day. I shall look out for the posting. Please try to bake some muffins in that “expensive cupboard” and see how it turns out. It’s probably just an oven issue.
          I have an expensive cupboard in form of a dishwasher. I just much rather wash my dishes immediately after use…Have a lovely Sunday. Best wishes,
          Liz

  11. I just finished dinner, and now i’m hungry all over again! 🙂
    I never realised the Australian cup measure was different to the standard cup. Thanks. Have a great day.

    Reply

    1. Hi Lignum
      Have a great day too or night whatever time it’s right now. Australians have the largest cup measure and spoon too. why is this so? I don’t know maybe you can tell me. Best wishes!
      Liz

      Reply

    1. Thank you so much for sending me some sun shine. I wish I could swop countries with you. Have a lovely weekend!
      Liz
      P/S I can’t find a link to your blog….oops!

      Reply

      1. That’s what they say, grans are the best cooks. My father’s mother always produced tasty food. I loved her hot drop scones straight off the griddle. But my mother’s mother was an awful cook. Vegetables were reduced to a tasteless blob and sausages turned to carbon. Another five minutes in the frying pan they would have turned into diamonds 😉

        Reply

        2. Once upon a time, before I became a very valuable antique, I used to be a good cook. Well, I had to be when I was living on my own in the suburbs of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for a few years. My English Sunday lunches were exceedingly edible and my secret ingredients giant omelette was……..if I told you I’d have to kill you 😉

        3. Omg Ralph, I completely believe you. I have no doubts. You lived in Riyadh, how interesting, I have never lived in the Middle East just passed by during my many travels. Have a wonderful week, Ralph. I’ve just been shovelling snow so you can guess how my weekend was…snowy and cold..brrr….
          Liz

  21. These look great! I like a ham and cheese biscuit or muffin with scallions or chives too. I would send some sun your way but we have clouds right now! Yesterday was beautiful though and we spent some time at the park after school.

    Reply

    1. Hi Mama D,
      It’s nice to know you even spent time in the park…wow I would love to go to a park. Next time I make these muffins, I shall add scallions or chives. Thanks for the suggestion. Enjoy your week. I hope you have some sun today!
      Liz

      Reply

      1. If I don’t get the kids outside time somewhere we are all in trouble when they blow up and burst with energy later in the day. Rainy days like today are NEVER good! Enjoy your week and find some time to relax a little.

        Reply

  22. Wow, Liz, these are gorgeous!!! You see, you’re unmistakably the queen of muffins!
    I really love this combination of smoked ham and cheese. It’s just THE combination. And that includes buttermilk; I love the way muffins bake with it!
    Thanx for sharing such a perfect recipe for a perfect snack!
    Besos
    Rosa

    Reply

    1. Thanks so much for the kind words. You always make me smile. Ha ha “the queen of muffins” how I wish…they taste very nice. I adore them. Have a wonderful week!
      Liz

      Reply

  24. These muffins look delicious, Liz!There’s a bakery around here that makes them with ham, cheese and scallions, so it has the smokey flavor you speak of as well as the savory. I agree buttermilk gives it a nice fluffiness.

    Reply

    1. Hey thanks for the tip. The next time I make them, I”ll sure add some scallions or even chives. I think it will absolutely give a different and pleasant taste. Thanks and have a wonderful week!
      Liz

      Reply

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